3 days Ago By James Gardiner
GET ready for a dogfight. Login or signup to continue reading The Newcastle Jets take on arch enemy the Central Coast Mariners at Allianz Stadium in the feature Friday night fixture of the A-League's Unite Round. Although playing an F3 derby in Sydney is "quite strange", the rivalry is anything but diminished.
"Derbies are different," said Jets fullback Dane Ingham ahead of his ninth showdown. "It's more of a dogfight. You worry about the battle first.
The football comes second. "We have to be firing from the first whistle on Friday. "No matter what derby you play in world football, it's always a tough game.
You have to embrace it for what it is. Once you get out there, you can feel the energy from the crowd. "It is quite strange playing Central Coast in Sydney but it's still a derby.
" Unite Round was instituted last year and follows a similar theme to Magic Round in the NRL and Gather Round in the AFL. All A-League games, men and women, are being played in Sydney as part of a festival of football. Two men's game are being held at Allianz Stadium on Friday and Saturday night and Sunday afternoon.
The women's fixtures have been moved from Leichhardt Oval to Jubilee Stadium and follow the same format, with two games each day. The Jets women play Western United at 5.30pm on Saturday.
The F3 derby is the headline men's match on Friday night and will be preceded by a clash between Perth and Western United. The Sydney derby, which is the main match on Saturday night, is expected to attract a crowd of more than 30,000. A-League officials are hoping for 10,000 on Friday night.
It will be Kosta Grozos' first derby since taking the captain's armband this season. "Every game is important, but this one is that bit more special," Grozos said. "It is important to win.
I want to win whether I am captain or not captain. I'm excited for it and the boys are ready to go. "There is a game before us so I'm sure fans will stay around and watch.
"There are a few buses headed down from Newcastle. If fans can jump on board, we will be more than thankful." The only other time the Jets have played the Mariners in Sydney was the 2007-08 grand final at the same venue.
A sea of 36,354 fans were on hand for the Jets' 1-0 triumph - the club's sole championship. The Mariners have dominated the derby in recent seasons, winning 10 of the last 12. The Jets' most recent victory was a 2-1 result in Gosford on December 11, 2022.
The Mariners have won the past two championships and are favourites on Friday night, despite having not won a league game this season. The Jets went down 4-1 to Western Sydney last round and are likely to be without striker Lachy Rose (hip) for a fourth straight match. Rose did a series of run-throughs and ball work away from the main group at training on Tuesday.
The FIFA international break has given the Jets two weeks to prepare for Friday. "Going by recent history, we haven't had too many good results against the Mariners," Ingham said. "It would be a good way to respond, especially considering the game before the international break wasn't' our best.
"It's about us turning up on the day and making sure we are there to compete very hard against the Mariners. "That is something we didn't do against Western Sydney. We didn't compete enough.
We didn't win enough second balls. We didn't really win the duels. We didn't battle hard enough.
" Meanwhile, Jets women's coach Ryan Campbell has welcomed the decision to shift matches to Jubilee Stadium due to a substandard surface at Leichhardt Oval. "I was concerned after watching the game at Leichhardt last weekend," Campbell said. "I thought we might have to change the way we play, which is not ideal when you are starting to get into a bit of a groove.
"It will make a big difference to us playing on a good pitch, and a big pitch as well. It will suit the way we play with the ball. Us and Brisbane are the two highest-passing teams.
We like to have the ball on the ground and dominate the game." A-League Commissioner Nick Garcia said players safety was a priority. "It is imperative that we have the best possible playing surface to ensure quality football, player safety and the most entertaining product for our fans," Garcia said "Our team has been monitoring the pitch condition at Leichhardt Oval over the last month - and regrettably we have had to make the decision in the best interest of all stakeholders.
"Our product is important - this is the pinnacle round of professional women's football - and we think this decision will ensure the best possible event for our players, officials and fans." The Jets are coming off a 1-0 win over Wellington and Campbell hopes to have influential midfielder Libby Copus-Brown back from a hip issue. "She has a niggle in her hip," Campbell said.
'The MRI didn't show up anything major but she has a bit of pain. Hopefully it settles down with rest." James Gardiner, chief football and rugby writer at the Newcastle Herald.
James Gardiner, chief football and rugby writer at the Newcastle Herald. DAILY Today's top stories curated by our news team. Also includes evening update.
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